Alcohols and diols are well known for their surfactant and lubricity properties when formulated into lubricating oils, and for their water-scavenging characteristics when blended into fuels. Vicinal hydroxyl-containing alkyl carboxylates, such as glycerol monooleate, found widespread use as lubricity additives. The use of certain long chain hydrocarbyl vicinal diols has been reported by Hotten in U.S. Pat. No. 3,649,538 and Unick et al in U.S. Pat. No. 3,899,433.
Phosphorus-containing lubricating additives have also found widespread use. Phosphonates have been found to be lubricity agents as exemplified by Papay in U.S. Pat. No. 4,356,097 in which the use of dihydrocarbyl hydrocarbyl phosphonates in lubricant formulations is disclosed.
Borated sulfur containing 1,2-alkane diols are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,394,277 as lubricating oil additives. The reaction products of 1,2-alkane diols and dihydrocarbyl hydrogen phosphites as lubricant additives are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,532,057, and their use as intermediates for subsequent boration is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,522,629, both of which are incorporated herein by reference.